Ramp-governed circuit controller



June 1 1926. 1,586,772

' J.. BEAUMONT RAMP GOVERNED CIiRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed June 21, 1924 INVENTOR 7065! ZEmM Ifi QRNEY'S JOSEPH BEAUMONT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BEGAN SAFETY DE- VIGES COMPANY, INC, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RAMP-GOVERNEI) GIRCU IT CONTROLLER.

Application filed June 21, 1924. Serial No. 721,431.

This invention relates to train control systems, and more particularly to roadside circuit mechanism for train control systems; and has special reference to the provision of an apparatus for detecting the integrity and for controlling the'operation oi the roadside mechanism.

In automatic train control systems, as is Well known, there are provided vehicle carried and roadside mechanism which cooperate in the movement of the vehicle over the roadbed for transmitting indications to the vehicle from the roadside which are established by and are in accordance with roadside or traiiic conditions. In the train control system of the so-called Contact type, the vehicle carried and roadside mech- V anism comprises a vehicle carried shoe which engages a ramp rail at spaced stations along the roadside, the shoe and ramp rails being connected in partial circuits which form a completed circuit when the shoe engages the ramp, and which circuit is under the control of roadside mechanism for producing the desired indications. In the so-called non-contact or inductive type of train control system, vehicle carried and roadside inductors are employed for transmitting the roadside indication to the vehicle carried mechanism.

In both the contact and inductive type of automatic train control apparatus, it is known to employ means for detecting the integrity of the ramp rail or the roadside inductor so that when these are accidentally removed, displaced or dislocated, the condition thereof will become known to the engineman by a suitable warning or control operation of the train. In Patent No. 1,505,062, granted to A. G. Shaver on Aug. 12, 1924, and in the copending application of A. G. Shaver, Ser. No. 607,688, of Dec. 18, 1922; there is disclosed such detecting means for detecting the integrity of the ramp rail and its circuit, such means comprising a roadside mechanism which functions to operate the roadside signalling system and the ramp controlling circuits in the event that a ramp rail is displaced or dislocated. A principal object of my pres ent invention relates to the provision of improved apparatus for controlling the roadside circuits and for detecting the integrity of the ramp rail or roadside inductor. i

More specific objects of my present invention include the provision of a ramp governed circuit controlling apparatus designed and constructed to produce a controlling operation or the roadside, ClCUltS if the ramp is displaced or deflected in any direction; and further provision oi a circuit controlling apparatus in which when a ramp is loosened from its moorings, a circuit controlling operation will be produced,

which operation will be maintained regardless of the return of the ramp to its normal position so that a detective mounting which may give rise to unsafe operations may be readily detected; and the still further provision of a;circuit controlling apparatus of this nature which is constructed to be readily restoredor repaired after the defect in as hereinafter particularly described and sought to be dehned 1n the claims; reference being had to the accompanying drawing which shows a preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of the ramp governed circuit controller of my invention showing parts in cross-section, and

' Fig. 2 is a view thereof taken on the-line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more in detail to the draw ings, for operating 'he' defect indicating signalling and ramp controlling circuits, the controller of my invention in one of its more generic aspects comprises. a circuit controlling means A which is connected to for movement with the ramp B, anc an operating means C which is arranged to be held stationary during movement of the ramp B for operating the circuit controlling means when the ramp is displaced or dislocated. The circuit controlling means A and the ramp B may be connected together for simultaneous movement in any pre't'erred manner, and in the preferred practice of the invention the ramp and the circuit controlling means are fixed to the ramp timber 10 supported by a plurality of brackets 11 (one of which is shown in the drawings), the said brackets being secured to the rail ties 12 by means of bolts 13. The circuit controlling means and the ramp may be independently attached to the ramp timber 10 or they may be connected together by means of the angle iron bracket 1% which is attached to the ramp rail by means of the rivets 15 and which supports the circuit controlling means A and is secured thereto by means of the bolts 16. The ramp rail B is preferably of the type disclosed in the patent to A. G. Shaver No. 1&33973, and consists of the spaced angle members 17 and 18 having a shoe engaging insert 19 arranged between and clamped by the angle members 16 and 17. In the preferred construction this insert 19 is relatively thin, and projects above the angle members 17 and 18, this construction having been found highly serviceable in practice for producing etiicient contact and for breaking and minimizing the formation of sleet and ice in cold weather.

The circuit controlling means A in the preferred construction comprises a support in the form of a dust-proof casing 20 having a lid or cover 21 attached thereto by means of the bolts 22, the said casing housing the circuit control elements. Attached interiorly to or formed integrally with the casing, I prefer to provide a pair of standards 23, 2t, each of which carries an insulation block 25 for holding the binding posts 26 and 27, which are spring operated and urged towards each other by means of springs 28 housed by the insulation blocks Removably positioned between the spring operated binding posts, I provide a connector or circuit breaker 29, which is constructed as clearly shown in the drawings tor quick detachment and replacement.

In the practice of the invention, the binding posts 26 and 27 and the connector 29 are arranged or connected in the circuit desired to be controlled, and under normal conditions this circuit is closed by the connector 29. For producing a controlling operation this circuit, upon occurrence of a defect in the ramp or its circuit, the operating means C heretofore mentioned is provided, the construction being such that when the ramp rail or its equivalent roadside inductor displaced beyond a given amount, the connector 29 will be expelled from between the binding posts, and thus removed from its normal position.

To accomplish the desired results, the operating means comprises a device which is tixed in position so as to permit the ram and ramp support to move relatively therezo, and in the preferred construction the operating means or device C comprise; an eye bolt 30 having an eye or annular portion ill which is arranged to surround the connector 2S), the connector being provided with an insulating sheath the function of which is to keep the electrical conducting eye bolt from contacting with the connector 2i). In the preferred embodiment of the invention the annular portion 31 of the eye bolt; dimensioned and designed so as to permit a movement of the ramp relatively to the eye bolt not more than one-hall oi" an inch in any direction, movement of the ramp and the casing 20 more than one-bait of an inch in any direction transverse to the length oi the ramp rail producing, however, a prisitive expulsion of the connector or circuit breaker 29.

The eye bolt 30 may be fixed in position in any approved manner, and in the preferred embodiment ot the invention, 1 provide a bracket which is attached to the rail ties l2 )rei erably by means of the bolts 13 used for the ramp raii liruclfcis ll. 15w eye bolt 30 bein adjustably tired to the bracket by means or the lock nuts H: and received by the threaded portion 30 ot the eye bolt 30. To prevent the eye bolt lrom rotating in the bracket 3; I prefer to provide the cooperative slot and screw ieans 36.

To permit a slight movement of the casing 20 relatively to the eye bolt, the former is provided with an opening 37 in the bottom u all thereof, which opening is maintained closed by a plate 38 held in position my a spring 39 which is anchored between the said plate and a collar 40 formed preterablv integrally with the eye bolt 30. i

The manner of making and using the ramp governed circuit controller oi my invention and the advantages thereof will in the main be fully apparent from the above dctailcd description thereof. It will be lurther apiarent that when an abnormal displacement. oi the ramp is produced, the circuit breaker or connector 29 will be positively ejected or detached from its normal position, so that a positive opening of the detecting circuit is obtained. It will be further seen that with the provision of the construction a loosening of the ramp rails will also be detected by an operation of the circuit, regardless of the return of the rail to its normal position, so that a defective mounting of the ramp will become known by a suitable signal or train control indication or operation either at this station or the preceding station. Further important advantages of the construction provided reside in the ready replaceability of the connector 29 which is found in t'he casing 20 after being expelled from its normal position and in the permissibility atiforded tor a limited degree of play or movement of the ramp rail without producing a circuit controlling operation.

While I have shown my invention in the preferred form, it will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications may be aide in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A ramp governed circuit controlling apparatus comprising ramp, a circuit controlling means connected to the ramp for movement therewith, and means arranged to be held stationary during movement of the ramp for operating the circuit controlling means when the ramp is displaced or deflected.

2. ramp governed circuit controlling apparatus comprising a ramp, a circuit controlling means including a removable circuit connecting element connected to the ramp for movement therewith, and means arranged to be held, stationary during movement of the ramp for effecting the removal or detachment of the circuit connecting element when the ramp is displaced or deflected.

3. A ramp go erned circuit controlling apparatuscomprising a ramp rail, a support therefor secured to a tie, a circuit controlling means connected to the ramp rail support for movement therewith, and means secured to the tie and arranged to be held stationary during movement of the ramp rail support for operating the circuit controlling means when the ramp rail is d1s placed or deflected.

a. A ramp governed circuit controlling apparatus comprising ramp rail, a circuit controlling means including a replaceably detachable connector connected to the ramp rail for movement therewith, and means ranged tobeheld stationary during morement of the ramp rail for effecting the detachment of the connector when the ramp rail is displaced or deflected beyond a predetermined amount.

5. A ramp governed circuit controlling apparatus comprising a ramp rail, a circuit controlling means connected to the ramp rail tor movement therewith and means arranged to be. held stationary during movement of the ramp rail for operating the circuit controlling means when the ramp rail is dis placed or deflected in any direction.

6. A ramp governed circuit controlling apparatus for train control systems comprising a ramp rail and support therefor fixed in position parallel to the track rails, circuit controlling means, and means for operating the circuit controlling means when the ramp rail and support are displaced or deflected in any direction from its fixed position.

7. A. ramp governed circuit contr lling apparatus for train control systems comL' prising a ramp rail fixed in position parallel to the track rails, circuit controlling means including a detachable circuit breaker, and means for operating the circuit controlling means to detach the circuit breaker when the ramp rail is displaced or deflectec in any direction. 7

8. A ramp governed circuit controlling apparatus for train control systems comprising a circuit controlling means adapted for connection to a ramp for movement therewith, and means adapted to be held stationary during movement of the ramp for opera-tin g the circuit controlling means when the ramp is displaced or deflected in any direction transverse to its length.

9. ramp governed circuit controlling ap Jaratus comprising a support adapted for attachment to a ramp, a circuit controlling means on said support including a circuit connector, and a device for operating the circuit controlling means including an annular member arranged to surround the circuit connector so that when the said support is moved in any direction relatively to the said.

device t 1e circuit connector will be operated for controlling a circuit.

10. A ramp governed circuit controlling apparatus comprising a casing adapted for attachment to a ramp, a circuit controlling means in said casing including a replaceaoly detachable circuit connector, and a device for operating the circuit controlling means including an annular member arranged to surround the circuit connector and spaced therefrom so that when the said casing is moved a given distance in any direction relatively to the said device the circuit connector will be detached for controlling a circuit.

ll. A ramp governed circuit controlling apparatus comprising a casing adapted for attachment to a ramp, a circuitcontrolling means in said casing including spaced standards and a circuit connector resiliently held therebetween, and a device for operating the circuit controlling means comprising an eye bolt extending thru the casing, the eye comprising an eye bolt extending thru an nector will be operated for controlling :1 opening in the casing and a plate for closing circuit.

said opening resiliently connected to the eye Signed at Chicago in the county of: Cook bolt, the eye of said bolt being arranged to and State of Illinois. this 10th day of June surround the circuit connector so that when A. D. 1924.

the said support is moved in any direction relatively to the said device the circuit con- JOSEPH BEAUHOXI. 

